NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR

March 29, 1997

Antawn Jamison

Dean Smith

Serge Zwikker

COACH DEAN SMITH: It's obvious any team that loses, when they reach the Final Four, are very disappointed, but yet it's obvious they've had a great year to be here. We're disappointed that I'm -- as a coach, I couldn't be prouder of a group that played very hard today, really tried very hard, and that's the No. 1 thing. And No. 2, they played well together. And we ran into an Arizona team that also played very hard and did an excellent job in their interior defense. I thought we were great defensively. I don't think they got many open looks. And our inside game, they blocked a couple. They're very quick. But what got us here was our shot selection, and we were getting some of those same shots. But we were shooting 54 percent or something, the last how many games, 16? So I'll settle for that last 17-game run of 16 and 1. And I'm so sorry for Serge Zwikker. But he has to be very proud, as a senior he won't have another shot at it. But he's been involved with a lot of wins here and trying. There are a lot of special people that will be missed.

ANTAWN JAMISON: Well, coming into the game it didn't affect me any at all. Early on I was kind of forcing some shots up. I beat one person, and then another person comes in the paint, so it's been something I've been facing all year. They did a terrific job on defensive post.

SERGE ZWIKKER: Yeah, they're definitely a quicker team than we normally play. But I think we did a pretty good job of actually sprinting back and trying to make a noisy basket. I think that me and Antawn and all the other guys in the Carolina team did an okay job screening inside, but we just weren't hitting our shots. And I'm very proud to be part of this team, and I'm just happy to -- I'm just sad, actually, not happy, to see my career end like this. But also this season, for these guys. We worked hard together and it's just a bad way to go.

ANTAWN JAMISON: Definitely. People think that Arizona definitely has that. But you see it in Kansas and some of the tougher opponents in the tournament. They did a terrific job, and that's why they're probably here today.

(Players excused.)

COACH DEAN SMITH: Anybody can check Florida State or Duke, they're as quick as anyone. And they have the ability, they have 6 guys who can put it in the floor, and between 6-6 and 6-8 are good jumpers. I thought Newton was quick. But the way they played today, the only thing that really surprised me was the shot blocking inside, once we threw over the top. When I say surprised me, generally we get to the foul line, we get the ball there, and that's what we try to do is get the ball there. But Antawn Jamison, you should study, there's no coaches here, I'm used to talking to coaches, watch him be relentless going after the ball. And it was really remarkable. And I thought we weren't shooting well, we know that, and I thought we got some good looks, but the first half was the fast breaks that we got 2 on 2, 3 on 2, and because of that start we were still trying to make the great play. And I jumped them on the half, which isn't the best thing to do based on our second half shooting, do a little better there. But the defense I thought was good enough to win any game. The rebounding was good enough to win most any game. But they are -- and they're all back. In fact, you'll probably see Arizona and Duke in the finals next year, with the quickness and the size together.

COACH DEAN SMITH: That could be. A couple of plays we run, but that's all part of the game, too. They miss some shots, as well, open looks. And then I thought they came up with the crazy rebounds where it was tipped out and we should be getting it and they got it. And I'm not sure that was quickness or just one of those days. And I really admire the Arizona team. And their coach, Lute, did a great job going to -- coming into the timeout, which we thought they might, where they set a very good screen, and then he had the other one. And it should be an interesting game Monday night, whomever they might play, although they're probably better equipped to handle pressure than we. I don't know, it will be interesting -- I think either team, I told Lute after the game, I thought either team that the winner of today's game, the way it was going, shooting, usually relax and comes back with a good game. But that may not be enough, depending on what happens in the Minnesota, Kentucky game.

COACH DEAN SMITH: I was disappointed in our judgment, and when we had the three on two, the two on one, we just made use of the break, fast break attempts. You never do them all. In fact we made one probably shouldn't have been thrown, the long one to Jamison, it was a dunk, probably shouldn't have been thrown, and it will work sometimes. We did too many of those that will work sometimes. And by covering that first -- what was the other part of the question?

COACH DEAN SMITH: Actually Shammond, he's a dependable shooter, and we got him some good looks, and I don't know as a coach, you know, probably I took him out too much. I used to stay with Don Williams, who is a great shooter. And every shooter, Reggie Miller. But we lose as a team, and we win as a team, and actually I was proud of the group. I really thought we'd win when we got it to 6 there. And the foul situation, I can't believe we played -- both teams could play with six fouls the whole half, that's why they looked tired. But that entered into it. But we were in good shape, there, and we elected in 52 seconds not to simply sit back and stop them and come down and score. We wanted to go ahead and get them then, and they made us pay.

COACH DEAN SMITH: Again, Shammond is just one part of our team. But he hit a tough one to start. I didn't even think that was a good shot. I thought he had some very good ones in the second half. But I did when I played once. But anybody -- you're supposed to shoot them and then get a rebound. And none of us -- they deserve credit, certainly. They deserve credit. And that's the way it should be. And I love Miles Simon, and I loved him coming out of high school. But he wouldn't have beaten Donald Williams as a junior, and he'd have been mad and gone home. But I really am impressed, I should be, they're the only team that beat us both times. I'm impressed with Arizona's team.

COACH DEAN SMITH: No way. We were trying to keep him off the foul line, and they were 7 for 7 the first half. Certainly we tried to get up to Bibby. One time we were slow. I thought he forced a couple that went in. When I say forced, there was a guy there. You can't stop them from shooting. You can stop them from getting good looks, but he did get a real good look in the first half and two or three in the second half. And he's a remarkable player, too. I think they have excellent guards. And Terry, he's a little out of control some, but he's quick on quick. How many steals did he have? I was afraid they might have 8 in the first three minutes going into the game, but I thought we handled the ball pretty well, there.